Short video leads brand budgets: what it means for talent

Looking at campaigns posted on ModelGo between June and August, we found that 58% included a request for short vertical video for platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram Reels, compared with about a third in the same period last year.

Why the shift?

• Audiences in the Kingdom spend a lot of time on short-video platforms.
• Production costs less, and several ideas can be tested quickly.
• Content presented by a real person feels closer and more genuine than a traditional ad.

Skills now in demand

Being good in front of a stills camera is no longer enough. Brands want talent who can speak fluently to camera, understand the rhythm of a short clip and can sometimes film themselves to a decent standard.

1. Speaking naturally in the first three seconds to grab attention.
2. Memorising a short script, or improvising around set points.
3. Understanding the basics of light and sound when filming on a phone.
4. Delivering more than one take so the brand can choose.

Today we ask talent for what we used to ask a whole production team for just a few years ago. — marketing manager at a beauty brand

Add a 30-second vertical intro clip to your ModelGo profile in which you talk about yourself. Profiles with an intro clip receive noticeably more invitations.

This is not the end of traditional photo shoots; print campaigns and billboards are still very much here. But it does mean that talent who combine both skills will have the best chances in the period ahead.